Governor Walker Signs Legislation to Combat Labor Shortage

On March 28, Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) signed legislation into law that will combat the current construction industry labor shortage in Wisconsin. The new law prevents more than one journeyman being required to oversee the work of an apprentice.

The industry’s shortage in the state had become even more drastic when the Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn announced plans employ as many as 10,000 construction workers while building a 20 million-square-foot manufacturing campus in Southeastern Wisconsin.

John Mielke, president of ABC Wisconsin, said that setting journeymen-to-apprentices ratios at one-to-one for all trades would help the construction industry combat an ongoing shortage of skilled workers. “AB 508 will help get more individuals into the skilled trades without costing taxpayers any more money or endangering safety,” Mielke said.